Verba Christi ad sponsam, qualiter Deus loquitur amicis suis per suos predicatores et per tribulaciones, et quomodo Christus per apum possessorem et Ecclesia per alueolum et Christiani per apes designantur, et qualiter mali Christiani inter bonos permittuntur viuere.
The Call to Conversion
God expresses His merciful desire for the conversion of sinners, warning them of the dangers of their path.
I am your God. My Spirit has brought you to hear, to see, and to feel: to hear my words, to see the likenesses, and to feel my Spirit with the joy and devotion of your soul. In me, all mercy exists alongside justice, and in justice, there is mercy. I am like someone who sees his friends falling away from him into a path where there is a terrifying abyss, from which it is impossible to rise. I speak to these friends through those who understand Scripture. I speak through trials, and I warn them of their danger. But they, on the contrary, go their own way and don't care about my words. My words are nothing but a single word. It is this: 'Turn back to me, sinner!' You're walking in danger because there are traps on the path, and due to the darkness of your heart, you can't see them for what they really are. This word of mine is treated with contempt. This mercy of mine is neglected. Even so, while I am merciful enough to warn those who are sinning, I am also just enough that even if all the angels were to pull them, they couldn't be converted unless they themselves move their own will toward the good. But if they turn their will toward me and consent to me with their whole heart, not even all the demons together can hold them back.
The Allegory of the Bees
Christ uses the metaphor of bees and their hive to illustrate the virtues of the faithful and the reasons for tolerating the wicked.
There is a certain creature called the bee, which lives in the possession of its master. These bees show a threefold reverence to their king—that is, to the hive—and receive a threefold virtue from him. First, the bees bring all the sweetness they can gather to their king. Second, they are ready at his beck and call, and wherever they fly or go, their charity and love are always directed toward their king. Third, they follow him and serve him by staying firmly attached to him. Because of these three things, the bees receive a threefold benefit from their king. First, they have a set time for going out and working, based on his voice. Second, they receive their rule and their mutual love from him. In fact, through his presence and leadership, and through the love he has for them—and they for him—everyone is joined to one another in love, and each rejoices in the other and in the other's progress. Third, they become fruitful through mutual love and the joy of their Head. Just as fish in the sea release their eggs while playing, which then fall into the sea and become fruitful, so bees become fruitful through mutual love, the love of their Head, and joy. From their wondrous love and my power, a certain seed—as if dead—emerges, and by my goodness it will have life. The Lord—the keeper of the bees—being concerned for them, says to his servant, "My servant, it seems to me that some of my bees are weak and aren't flying at all." The servant replied, "I don't understand this weakness, but if that's the case, I want to know how I can tell." The Lord answered: 'You'll be able to discern their weakness or defect from three signs.' First, because they are weak and sluggish in their flight; this happens because they have lost their king, from whom they should have received comfort and strength. Second, they go out at uncertain and unready hours, and this is because they have no sign from the voice of their head. Third, because they have no love for the hive, they return empty; they fill themselves up but bring back none of the sweetness they could live on in the future. But healthy, capable bees are steady and strong in their flight. They have a set time for going out and coming back, bringing back wax to build their hives, and honey to enjoy. Then the servant answered the master: 'If they are useless and weak, why do you put up with them for so long, and why aren't they destroyed?' The Lord replied, "I allow them to live for three reasons, because they provide a threefold benefit, though not by any virtue of their own." First, they occupy the places already prepared so that incoming drones don't take the empty spots and disturb the other, good bees. Second, so that the other, fruitful bees might become even more productive and diligent in their work because of the malice of the bad bees. For when the productive bees see the unproductive and wicked bees working only to satisfy their own greed, they become all the more diligent in gathering for their King, the more they see the wicked ones burning with desire for nothing but their own gain. Third, they are valuable to the good bees for their mutual defense.1 There is a certain worm that makes a habit of eating bees; when the bees realize it's coming, they all hate it together, and although the bad bees attack and hate it out of envy and to protect their own lives, while the good ones do so out of love and justice, both the good bees and the bad ones still work together to defeat the worm.2 Otherwise, if all the bad bees were removed and only the good ones remained, the worm would prevail against them even faster because there would be fewer of them. “And that is why,” says the Lord, “I put up with the useless bees.” When autumn comes, however, I'll provide for the good bees and separate them from the bad ones, who would die from the cold if they were left outside the hive right now. But if they are inside and fail to gather, they'll suffer from hunger because they neglected to gather when they had the chance.
The Church as the Hive of Christ
Christ identifies the Church as His hive and details the duties of Christians to live in unity, charity, and fruitfulness.
I am the Lord, the creator of all things; I am the owner and master of these bees. Out of my deepest love and by my own blood, I have founded for myself a hive of bees—that is, the holy Church—in which Christians ought to gather and dwell through the unity of faith and mutual love. Their dwelling places are their hearts, where the sweetness of good thoughts and affections ought to reside. This should be drawn from considering my love in creating you, from my redemption, from my patience in bearing with you, and from my mercy in calling you back or renewing you. In this hive—the holy Church—there are two kinds of people, just as there are two kinds of bees. The first are bad Christians, who don't gather for me but for themselves; they return empty and don't know their head, because they have a sting instead of sweetness, and greed instead of love. The good bees, however, are the good Christians. These show me a threefold reverence. First, they hold me as their head and Lord, offering me the honey of sweetness—that is, works of charity—which are more delightful to me and more useful to themselves. Second, they stand according to my will; their will is in harmony with mine, their every thought is directed toward my passion, and their every action is for my honor. Third, they follow me—that is, they obey me in everything, wherever they may be, whether outside or inside, whether in trouble or in joy; their heart is always with my heart. That’s why they receive a threefold power from me. First, through the voice of my power and my inspiration, they have a proper and certain time—namely, night during the time of night, and light during the time of light. They also turn night into day—that is, they transform the joy of the world into eternal joy, and fleeting joy into everlasting happiness. They are reasonable in everything, because they use present things only out of necessity, remain steady in adversity, are cautious in prosperity, moderate in caring for the flesh, and are diligent and circumspect in all they do. Second, just as good bees share a mutual charity, they all have one heart toward me; they love their neighbor as themselves, but they love me above all things and above themselves. Third, they are made fruitful by me. But what does it mean to be fruitful, if not to have my Holy Spirit and be filled with him? Anyone who doesn't have Him, and who lacks His sweetness, is fruitless and useless; he falls away and comes to nothing.3 The Holy Spirit truly sets the person He dwells within on fire with divine love, opens their mind to understanding, roots out pride and a lack of self-control, and stirs their heart toward the honor of God and the rejection of the world. Unproductive bees don't know this spirit, so they despise guidance and flee from unity and the fellowship of charity. They are empty of good works, turning light into darkness, comfort into mourning, and joy into sorrow. Still, I let them live for three reasons. First, so that the wicked—that is, the faithless—don't enter the spaces prepared for the good. For if wicked people were all removed at once, few good people would remain; and because of their small number, the faithless—who are more numerous—would move in among them and cause them great distress by living alongside them. Second, they are tolerated to test those who are good. It's through the malice of the wicked that the constancy of the good is proven. For in adversity it is shown how patient each person is, while in prosperity it is shown how constant and moderate they are. Because vices sometimes creep up on the righteous and virtues often make them proud, the wicked are permitted to live among the good, so that the good aren't dissolved by excessive joy or lulled to sleep by apathy, and so that they may frequently keep their eyes fixed on God. For where the struggle is less, the reward given is also less. Third, they are tolerated for the sake of help, so that Gentiles or other unbelieving enemies won't do harm, but rather will be afraid, especially because of the number of those who appear to be good. And just as the good resist the wicked out of justice and with divine love, so too do the wicked, though only to protect their own lives and to avoid the wrath of God. And so, everyone—both the wicked and the good—helps one another: the wicked are tolerated for the sake of the good, while the good are crowned more gloriously because of the malice of the wicked.
A Warning to Guardians
Christ addresses the leaders of the Church, urging them to discern the state of their flock and protect them from the malice of the wicked.
The keepers of the bees are the prelates of the churches and the princes of the earth, whether they are good or bad. I am speaking to the good guardians, whom I—God and their guardian—also warn to watch over my bees. They should consider their going out and their coming in. They should pay attention to whether they are weak or healthy. But if by chance they don't know how to discern, look—I'll tell them three signs by which they can know! These are useless bees: they're sluggish in flight, unprepared in their timing, and empty of any sweetness to bring back. Those who are sluggish in their flight are the ones who care more for temporal things than for eternal ones, and who fear the death of the body more than the death of the soul; they speak to themselves like this: Why should I have to deal with trouble when I could have peace? Why should I give myself over to death when I could be living? These miserable people don't consider that I, the most powerful King of glory, took on weakness for their sake. I am the most peaceful, and I am true peace itself, yet I took on restlessness for the sake of those whom I also freed by my death. But those who are out of step with the times are the ones whose hearts seek earthly things, whose speech turns to vulgarity, whose work aims at their own advantage, and whose time is spent just as their bodies desire. But they have no love for the hive and don't gather any sweetness, because while they do perform certain good works for me, they do so only out of fear of punishment. Even though they perform certain works of piety, they still don't let go of their own will and their sin. They want to have God, yet they don't want to leave the world behind or suffer any personal defect or trouble. These people run toward the house with empty feet—they run, yes, but without discernment; they fly, but not with the love they owe. So, when autumn comes—the time of separation—the useless bees will be separated from the good ones, and they'll be tormented forever for their self-love and greedy hunger. Because of their contempt for God and their weariness with what is good, they will be dissolved by an excessive coldness, yet they will not be consumed. Nevertheless, my friends must be on their guard against the threefold malice of the bad bees. First, you must keep their rot from reaching your ears, because they are poisonous. Once the honey is taken away, they are emptied of the sweetness they once had, and instead, they overflow with poisonous bitterness. Second, they must guard the pupils of their eyes against their wings, because they are as sharp as needles. Third, they must guard their bodies so they aren't left exposed to their stingers. For they have stingers with which they can inflict very painful wounds. Wise people who watch their habits and their inner state know how to explain what these things signify. But those who don't know how to understand should fear the danger and flee their company and their examples. Otherwise, they'll learn by experience what they didn't learn by listening.
The Mother's Counsel
The Mother of God offers a vision of a dark cloud to warn the world of the coming judgment and the necessity of humility.
Then the Mother spoke: "Blessed are you, my son, who are, who were, and who will be forever!" Your mercy is sweet, and your justice is great. My son, to put it figuratively, it seems to me that your current state is like a cloud rising toward heaven, with a gentle breeze moving ahead of it. Something dark appeared in the cloud, but the person outside the house, feeling the mildness of the air, looked up and saw the dark cloud, and reflecting on it, said: "The darkness of this cloud seems to me to signal that rain is coming." Acting on this sound advice, he quickly hurried into a shelter to hide from the rain. Others, however, who were blind or perhaps just didn't care—thinking little of the mild air and fearing nothing from the darkness of the cloud—experienced exactly what the cloud had signaled. This cloud, spreading across the entire sky, arrived with a great commotion and a fire so fierce and strong that life itself vanished at its shaking. But in that fire, every inner and outer part of a person was consumed, so that nothing remained. This cloud, my son, is your words—which to many seem dark and unbelievable because they aren't heard very often, because they're delivered by simple people, and because they aren't confirmed by signs.4 My petition and your mercy—by which you have mercy on everyone and draw all people to yourself like a mother—go before these words. This mercy is as gentle as the softest air in its patience and endurance; it's warm in its love, and through it, you urge those who provoke you to anger toward mercy, and you offer kindness to those who despise you. Therefore, since everyone has heard these words, let them lift up their eyes and see with understanding where these words have come from. Let them inquire whether they have sounded of mercy and humility. They should pay attention to whether these things sound like the present or the future, like truth or falsehood; and if they find them to be true, they should flee to their hiding place—that is, to true humility joined with divine love.5 For when justice comes, the soul will then be separated from the body out of fear. But fire will enclose the soul within itself, and it will burn both inside and out. It will certainly burn, but it won't be consumed. Therefore I, the Queen of mercy, call out to the inhabitants of the world: let them lift up their eyes and see my mercy. I warn and I plead as a mother; I counsel as a mistress.6 For when justice comes, it will be impossible to resist. Therefore, believe firmly and look closely; test the truth in your conscience, change your will, and then, whoever shows words of love will also show the works and signs of love!
The Failure of the Crusaders
Christ rebukes those who claim to serve Him but act with greed and cruelty toward the newly converted.
Then the Son spoke to me: "I showed you earlier, regarding the bees, that they possess a threefold good from their hive." I tell you now that those crusaders whom I have placed in those borders of the Christian lands ought to be like such bees." But now they are fighting against me. They don't care about souls, and they have no compassion for the bodies of those who have turned away from their error to the Catholic faith and to me. They oppress them with labor, deprive them of their freedoms, fail to instruct them in the faith, withhold the Sacraments from them, and send them to hell with even greater pain than if they had remained in their accustomed paganism. They don't even struggle except to expand their own pride and increase their own greed. Therefore, a time will come for them when their teeth will be broken, their right hand will be mutilated, and their right foot will be hamstrung, so that they might live and come to know themselves.
Read the original Latin
"Ego sum Deus tuus. Spiritus meus introduxit te audire et videre et sentire: audire verba mea, videre similitudines, sentire spiritum meum cum gaudio et deuocione anime.
In me est omnis misericordia cum iusticia et in iusticia misericordia. Ego sum sicut ille, qui videt amicos suos cadere a se in viam, ubi chaos horrendum est, de quo impossibile est consurgere.
Quibus amicis loquor per eos, qui habent intelligenciam Scripture. Loquor per flagella, precaueo eos de periculo eorum.
Sed ipsi econtra vadunt in inuium non curantes de verbis meis. Verba mea non sunt nisi quasi unum verbum. Hoc est: 'Conuertere, peccator, ad me!
Vadis enim periculose, quia insidie sunt in via et pro tenebris cordis tui a te, quales sunt, absconduntur.'
Hoc verbum meum contempnitur. Hec misericordia mea negligitur.
Verumptamen, quamuis sic misericors sum, quod eos peccantes moneo, tamen ita sum iustus, quod, eciam si omnes angeli traherent eos, non possent conuerti, nisi ipsimet mouerint voluntatem suam ad bonum.
Si vero ipsi voluntatem ad me verterint et affectu in me consenserint, non omnes demones eos retinere possunt.
Est vermis quidam, qui dicitur apis, in possessione domini sui. Que apes regi suo, idest asilo, triplicem reuerenciam exhibent et ab eo triplicem virtutem habent.
Primo apes portant ad regem suum omnem dulcedinem, quam possunt acquirere.
Secundo stant ad nutum eius et exeunt, et, quocumque volant et quocumque processerint, semper caritas et amor earum est ad regem.
Tercio sequuntur eum et stabiliter ei inherendo obsequuntur.
Pro hiis tribus apes habent a rege suo triplex bonum. Primo ex voce eius habent certum tempus exeundi et laborandi.
Secundo habent ab eo regimen et mutuam caritatem. Ex eius quippe presencia et principatu et ex eius caritate, quam ipse habet ad eas et ipse ad eum, unaqueque coniungitur caritate cum alia, unaqueque de alia et ex alterius profectu gratulatur.
Tercio ex caritate mutua et gaudio capitis sui fructifere fiunt. Sicut enim pisces in mari colludendo emittunt oua sua, que cadencia in mari fructificant, sic apes ex mutua caritate et dileccione capitis sui et gaudio fructifere fiunt.
Ex quarum caritate mirabili et virtute mea progreditur quoddam semen quasi mortuum, et bonitate mea habebit vitam.
Dominus vero, idest possessor apum, sollicitus de eis loquitur seruo suo: 'Serue', inquit, 'meus, michi videtur, quod apes mee quedam infirme sunt et nichil volantes.'
Respondit seruus: 'Huius infirmitatis non habeo intelligenciam, sed, si sic est, quero, quomodo hoc possum scire.'
Respondit dominus: 'Ex tribus signis harum infirmitatem seu defectum colligere poteris.
Primo, quia inualide sunt et desides in volatu, et hoc prouenit, quia amiserunt regem suum, a quo solacium et firmitatem deberent habuisse.
Secundo, quia incertis et indispositis exeunt horis, et hoc est, quia de voce capitis nullum habent signum.
Tercio, quia nullam caritatem habent ad alueolum, ideo vacue redeunt saciantes se et nichil dulcedinis, unde in futurum viuant, reportantes.
Apes vero, que sunt sane et habiles, sunt stabiles in volatu et fortes. Tempus exeundi et redeundi habent debitum, reportantes ceram ad construendum loca sua, mel vero ad fruendum.'
Tunc respondit seruus domino: 'Si ergo inutiles sunt et infirme, cur diucius pateris eas et non interficientur?'
Respondit dominus: 'Ego permitto eas viuere triplici de causa, quia triplex ferunt comodum, sed non virtute sua.
Primo occupant loca preparata, ne venientes bruci occupent loca vacua conturbando alias bonas apes.
Secundo, ut alie apes fructifere fiant ex malarum apum malicia fructuosiores et solliciciores in laborando.
Quando enim fructifere apes vident infructuosas et malas apes laborare ad cupiditatis proprie solam replecionem, tanto fiunt in congregando ad regem suum solliciciores, quo malas viderint ad solam cupiditatem feruenciores.
Tercio valent bonis apibus ad mutuam defensionem.
Est enim vermis quidam, solitus comedere apes; quem apes intelligentes venire omnes communiter odiunt eum et, licet male apes impugnant et odiunt eum propter inuidiam et pro vita sua tuenda, bone vero ex caritate et iusticia, mutuo tamen ad expugnacionem vermis laborant bone apes et male.
Alioquin si omnes apes male subtracte essent, bone vero sole remanerent, cicius in eas vermis, quia pauciores essent, preualeret. Et ideo', inquit dominus, 'suffero apes inutiles.
Verumptamen cum autumpnus veniet, prouidebo apibus bonis et separabo eas a malis, que, si modo extra alueolum relinquerentur, morerentur frigore.
Si vero intra fuerint et non congregauerint, fame periclitabuntur, quia neglexerunt congregare, cum potuerunt.
Ego Dominus, creator omnium, ego sum possessor et dominus apum istarum.
Ego ex intima caritate et sanguine meo fundaui michi alueolum apum, idest sanctam Ecclesiam, in qua Christiani per unitatem fidei et mutue dileccionis congregari deberent et morari.
Horum loca sunt eorum corda, in quibus dulcedo cogitacionum bonarum et affeccionum habitare deberet;
que trahi deberet ex consideracione caritatis mee in creando et ex redempcione mea et paciencia in supportando et ex misericordia mea in reuocando seu renouando.
In hoc alueolo, scilicet sancta Ecclesia, duo sunt genera hominum tamquam duo genera apum.
Primi sunt mali Christiani, qui non congregant michi sed sibi ipsis; qui vacui redeunt et nesciunt caput, quia stimulum habent pro dulcedine, cupiditatem pro caritate.
Bone vero apes boni Christiani sunt. Hii exhibent michi triplicem reuerenciam.
Primo habent me pro suo capite et domino, offerentes michi mel dulcedinis, idest opera caritatis, que michi sunt suauiora et sibi ipsis utiliora.
Secundo stant ad voluntatem meam, horum voluntas est secundum voluntatem meam, cogitacio tota ad meam passionem, operacio tota ad meum honorem.
Tercio sequuntur me, idest obediunt michi in omnibus, ubicumque fuerint, siue extra, siue intra, siue in tribulacione, siue in leticia, semper cor eorum est cum corde meo.
Ideo triplicem virtutem habent a me.
Primo ex voce virtutis et inspiracionis mee tempus debitum et certum habent, scilicet noctem tempore noctis et lucem tempore lucis.
Necnon et noctem mutant in lucem, idest gaudium mundi in eternum gaudium, et casurum gaudium in perpetuam felicitatem.
Hii in omnibus sunt racionabiles, quia presentibus utuntur ad necessitatem, stabiles in aduersitatibus, cauti in prosperitate, moderati in cura carnis, solliciti et circumspecti in agendis.
Secundo sicut bone apes mutuam habent caritatem, ita et ipsi omnes unum cor habent ad me et proximum diligunt tamquam se, me autem super omnia et super se ipsos.
Tercio fiunt a me fructiferi. Quid vero est fructificare nisi Spiritum meum sanctum habere et eo impleri?
Quicumque enim eum non habet et qui eius caret dulcedine, infructuosus est et inutilis; ipse cadit et annichilatur.
Spiritus vero sanctus accendit illum, quem inhabitat, caritate diuina, aperit intelligencie sensum, extirpat superbiam et incontinenciam, excitat mentem ad Dei honorem mundique contemptum.
Hunc spiritum apes infructifere nesciunt, et ideo contemnunt regimen, refugiunt unitatem et caritatis societatem.
Vacue sunt in bonis operibus, mutant lucem in tenebras, consolacionem in luctum, gaudium in dolorem.
Verumptamen propter tria pacior eas viuere.
Primo, ne in spacia preparata ingrediantur bruci, idest infideles. Si enim mali homines insimul subtraherentur, pauci remanerent boni, propter quorum paucitatem infideles, quia plures sunt, ingrederentur ad eos et cohabitantes eis nimium molestarent.
Secundo tolerantur ad bonorum probacionem. Ex malicia quippe malorum probatur bonorum constancia. Nam in aduersitate ostenditur, quantum quisque paciens est, in prosperitate vero, quantum quisque constans est et moderatus.
Quia ergo vicia quandoque subrepunt iustis et virtutes frequenter extollunt, ideo permittuntur mali viuere cum bonis, ne boni dissouluantur nimia leticia vel dormitent accidia et ut frequenter habeant ad Deum oculos.
Ubi enim minor est pugna, minor datur et merces.
Tercio tolerantur ad auxilium, ne gentiles vel inimici alii infideles noceant sed timeant eo magis, quo plures fuerint, qui videntur boni.
Et sicut boni resistunt malis ex iusticia cum diuina caritate, sic et mali pro sola vita tuenda et ira Dei vitanda.
Et sic omnes mali et boni adiuuant se inuicem, ut mali propter bonos supportentur, boni vero propter maliciam malorum sublimius coronentur.
Custodes vero apum hii sunt prelati ecclesiarum et principes terre, boni siue mali.
Ad bonos vero custodes loquor, quos et ego, Deus et custos eorum, ammoneo, ut custodiant apes meas.
Considerent enim exitum earum et ingressum. Attendant, si fuerint infirme vel sane.
Quod si forte discernere nesciunt, ecce tribus signis dico eis, quomodo cognoscant!
Hee apes inutiles sunt, que sunt segnes in volatu, indisposite tempore, vacue in apportacione dulcedinis.
Segnes in volatu sunt illi, qui plus curant de temporalibus quam eternis, plus timent mortem corporis quam anime, qui sic loquitur secum dicens:
'Cur debeo habere inquietudinem, cum possim habere quietem? Cur debeo me dare morti, cum possum viuere?' Non considerantes miseri, quod ego, rex glorie potentissimus, assumpsi in me impotenciam.
Sum eciam quietissimus et ipsa vera quies, et tamen assumpsi pro eis inquietudinem, quos et morte mea liberaui.
Illi vero indispositi sunt tempore, quorum affectus querit terrena, quorum locucio ad scurrilia, quorum opus ad propriam utilitatem, quorum tempus tale est, quale querit corpus.
Illi autem caritatem non habent ad alueolum nec congregant dulcedinem, quia opera quedam faciunt michi bona, sed ex timore supplicii.
Qui, licet opera quedam pietatis habent, non tamen relinquunt propriam voluntatem et peccatum.
Qui sic habere volunt Deum, ut tamen nec mundum relinquant nec aliquem defectum et turbacionem paciantur.
Isti tales vacuis pedibus currunt in domum, quia currunt, sed indiscrete, volant, sed non caritate debita.
Propterea, cum autumpnus venerit, idest tempus separacionis, apes inutiles separabuntur a bonis, que pro amore sui et cupiditate fame eterna cruciabuntur.
Pro contemptu vero Dei et tedio boni nimio frigore dissoluentur, sed non consumentur.
Verumptamen amici mei de triplici malicia malarum apum sibi cauere debent.
Primo, ne putredo earum veniat in aures eorum, quia venenate sunt. Ablato quippe melle, vacue sunt a dulcedine, pro qua habundant amaritudine venenata.
Secundo caueant pupille oculorum suorum pro alis earum, quia acutissime sunt quasi acus.
Tercio seruent corpus suum, ne nudum sit pro caudis earum. Habent enim aculeos, quibus amare nimis pungunt.
Quid autem ista significent, sapientes sciunt exponere, qui mores earum attendunt et affectum.
Qui vero nesciunt intelligere, timeant periculum, fugiant consorcium earum et exempla. Alioquin addiscent experiendo, que non nouerunt audiendo."
Deinde loquebatur mater: "Benedictus sis tu, fili mi, que es et qui eras et eternaliter eris! Misericordia tua dulcis est et iusticia tua magna.
Michi videtur, fili mi, per similitudinem loquendo, quod nunc sic tecum est, quasi quod quedam nubes ascenderet in celum, hanc vero precederet lenis aer.
In nube autem apparuit quasi quoddam tenebrosum, sed, qui erat extra domum, senciens lenitatem aeris, eleuauit oculos et vidit nubem tenebrosam, et considerans secum ait:
'Obscuritas istius nubis videtur michi significare futuram pluuiam.' Et mox sano usus consilio festinauit in latibulum, a pluuia se abscondens.
Alii vero, qui erant ceci vel qui forte non curabant, paruipendentes lenitatem aeris nec formidantes obscuritatem nubis, experiebantur hoc, quod nubes significabat.
Que quidem nubes, crescens per totum celum, venit cum maxima commocione et igne impetuoso tamque forti, quod ad commocionem eius exibat vita. Ad ignem vero omnia consumebantur interiora hominis et exteriora, ita quod nichil remaneret.
Hec nubes, fili mi, verba tua sunt, que multis tenebrosa videntur et incredibilia, quia non multociens audita, quia idiotis ministrata nec signis declarata.
Hec verba precedit peticio mea et misericordia tua, qua misereris omnibus et allicis quasi mater omnes ad te.
Hec misericordia lenis est quasi aer lenissimus in paciencia et sufferencia, calida est in caritate, qua prouocantes te ad iram mones ad misericordiam et offers contemptoribus pietatem.
Ergo omnes, quia audierint verba hec, eleuent oculos, et videbunt in intelligencia, unde processerint verba. Inquirant, si sonuerunt misericordiam et humilitatem.
Attendant, si sonant presencia an futura, veritatem an falsitatem; et si vera inuenerint, fugiant ad latibulum, idest ad veram humilitatem cum diuina caritate.
Nam cum iusticia venerit, tunc pre timore separabitur anima a corpore. Animam vero claudet in se ignis et ardebit interius et exterius.
Ardebit quidem, sed non consumetur. Propterea ego, regina misericordie, clamo ad habitatores mundi, eleuent oculos et videant misericordiam.
Ego moneo et rogo quasi mater, consulo quasi domina.
Cum enim venerit iusticia, impossibile erit resistere. Ergo credite firmiter et respicite, probate in consciencia veritatem, mutate voluntatem, et tunc, qui ostenderit verba caritatis, ostendet et opera et signa caritatis!"
Deinde Filius michi loquebatur dicens: "Ostendi tibi supra de apibus, quod habent triplex bonum de apiastro suo. Dico tibi nunc, quod tales apes deberent esse illi cruciferi, quos in illis finibus terrarum Christianorum posui.
Sed iam ipsi pugnant contra me. Nam de animabus non curant, non compaciuntur corporibus conuersorum ad fidem catholicam et ad me de errore.
Opprimunt enim eos laboribus, priuant libertatibus, in fide non instruunt eos, sacramentis priuant et cum maiori dolore mittunt eos ad infernum quam si starent in suo assueto paganismo.
Nec eciam pugnant nisi ut dilatent superbiam suam et augeant cupiditatem suam. Ideo veniet eis tempus, quo confringentur dentes eorum, manus dextra mutilabitur, et subneruabitur dexter pes eorum, ut viuant et se ipsos cognoscant."
Notes
- 1 ↩The Latin 'tercio' (thirdly) follows a sequence of points regarding the utility of the 'bad' bees within the hive, likely referring to their role in collective protection.
- 2 ↩The Latin text uses 'caritas' for the motivation of the good bees, which is rendered here as 'love' in accordance with the lexicon policy for theological virtue.
- 3 ↩The Latin 'annichilatur' carries the sense of being reduced to nothingness or losing one's spiritual substance.
- 4 ↩The term 'idiotis' here refers to the unlearned or simple, rather than the modern sense of 'idiot'.
- 5 ↩The term 'latibulum' (hiding place/refuge) is used here metaphorically for the soul's retreat into humility.
- 6 ↩The term 'domina' here carries the sense of a lady or mistress who holds authority and provides guidance, contrasting with the nurturing role of the 'mater'.
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