Verba querimonie Dei de tribus, que nunc per mundum transeunt, et qualiter Deus elegit tres status ab inicio, scilicet clericorum, defensorum et laboratorum, et de pena hominibus ingratis parata et de gloria gratis illata et concessa hominibus.
The Divine Complaint
The Lord expresses his sorrow over the emptiness of the world and the spiritual decline of humanity.
A great heavenly host appeared, to whom the Lord spoke, saying: "Although you see and know all things in me, still, because it pleases me, I am making a complaint before you about three things." First, those most sweet hives, which were built in heaven from eternity and from which those useless bees have gone out, are empty. Second, that insatiable abyss—which neither stones nor trees can resist—is always open, and souls descend into it just as snow falls from the sky to the earth. And just as snow melts into water before the face of the sun, so souls will be dissolved from every good by the magnitude of their punishment, and renewed for every pain. Third, I complain that few people pay attention to the emptiness of the places from which the evil angels fell, or to the fall of souls. Therefore, I have good reason to complain.
The Three Estates in Decay
God describes the original purpose of the cleric, the defender, and the laborer, and laments their current corruption.
For from the beginning, I chose three men, through whom I signify the threefold order in the world. First, I chose the cleric who was to proclaim my will with his voice and demonstrate it through his actions. Second, I chose the defender who would protect my friends with his own life and be ready for any labor for my sake. Third, I chose the laborer, who would work with his own hands to feed bodies through his labor. The first, the cleric, has become leprous and mute; anyone who looks to a cleric to see the beauty of good character and virtue recoils, is disturbed by the sight, and shrinks from approaching him because of the leprosy of his pride and greed. But if anyone seeks to hear him, the cleric himself has become mute regarding my praise, yet talkative when it comes to his own. How, then, will the way to reach such sweetness be opened, if the one who ought to lead the way is weak? And if the one who ought to cry out is mute, how then will that heavenly sweetness be heard? The second, who acts as a defender, is anxious at heart and empty-handed because he fears the world's scandal and the loss of its honor. He's empty-handed because he does no divine work; everything he does, he does for the sake of the world. Who, then, will defend my people if the one who ought to be their head is afraid? The third is like a donkey, which bows its head to the ground and stands with all four feet planted together. People are truly like donkeys, desiring nothing but earthly things, neglecting what is heavenly, and seeking what is fleeting. It has, as it were, four feet: because it has little faith, empty hope, no good works, and a will fully set on sin. Because of this, the mouth of gluttony and greed stays open forever. Look, my friends, how can that insatiable abyss be diminished by such people, and how could such a void ever be filled?1
The Prayer of Mercy
The Mother of God intercedes for humanity, offering a simple prayer of mercy that pleases the Son.
Then the Mother of God replied, "Blessed are you, my son!" Your complaint is just. Neither I nor your friends have any excuse to offer you for the human race, except for one word, in which it can be saved. It is this: 'Have mercy, Jesus Christ, Son of the living God!' I cry out for this, and so do your friends." The son replied: "Your words are sweet to my ears, they taste delightful on my tongue, and they enter my heart with love."
The Renewal of the Faithful
God promises to raise up faithful representatives in the three estates and encourages his bride to remain steadfast.
I have one cleric, one defender, and one laborer. The first is as delightful as a bride, whom her most honorable bridegroom desires with divine love and with his whole heart. His voice will sound like the echoes of shouting and conversation in the woods. The second will be ready to give his life for me, and he won't fear the world's scorn. I will arm him with the weapons of the Holy Spirit. The third will have such firm faith that they'll say, 'I believe so firmly that it's as if I see what I believe.' I also hope for everything that God has promised. They'll have the will to do good, to progress in goodness, and to turn away from evil. I'll put three words into the mouth of the first of these three men, which he will proclaim. First, he will cry out: 'Whoever has faith, let them put into action what they believe!' Second: 'Whoever hopes firmly, let them be steady in every good thing.' Third: 'Whoever loves perfectly and with charity, let them fervently desire to see what they love!' The second will be like a strong lion in his work, watchful in guarding against traps, and steady in his perseverance. The third will be as wise as a serpent, keeping his tail on the ground while he lifts his head toward heaven. These will fulfill my will. Others will follow them. And even though I name three, I'm still referring to many more. Then He spoke to His bride, saying, "Stand firm!" Don't be anxious about the world or about insults, because I, who have heard every insult, am your God and Lord."
Read the original Latin
Videbatur exercitus celestis magnus, ad quem Dominus locutus est dicens: "Licet omnia videtis et scitis in me, tamen, quia michi sic placet, conqueror coram vobis de tribus.
Primo, quod apiaria illa suauissima, que in celo ab eterno edificata sunt, de quibus apes ille inutiles exierunt, vacua sunt.
Secundo, quod abyssus illa insaciabilis, cui non lapides, non arbores resistunt, semper aperta est, in quam anime descendunt sicut nix de celo in terram.
Et sicut a facie solis nix dissoluitur in aquam, sic anime ad magnitudinem supplicii dissoluentur ab omni bono et renouantur ad omnem penam.
Tercio conqueror, quod pauci sunt, qui attendunt vacuitatem locorum, de quibus preuaricati sunt angeli mali, et animarum casum. Ideo merito conqueror.
Ego enim ab inicio elegi tres viros, per quos intelligo triplicem statum in mundo.
Primo elegi clericum, qui clamaret voluntatem meam voce et ostenderet opere.
Secundo defensorem elegi, qui amicos meos defenderet vita sua et paratus esset pro me ad omnem laborem.
Tercio elegi laboratorem, qui laboraret manibus suis, ut pasceret corpora labore suo.
Primus, scilicet clericus, nunc factus est leprosus et mutus, quia omnis, qui querit in clerico videre pulchritudinem morum et virtutum, recurrit retro, turbatur visu, et abhorret accedere ad eum propter lepram superbie et cupiditatis sue.
Si vero querit eum audire, mutus factus est ipse clericus a laude mea et garrulus ad laudem propriam.
Quomodo ergo tunc aperietur via ad tantam suauitatem acquirendam, si ille debilis est, qui deberet precedere? Et si ille mutus est, qui deberet clamare, quomodo tunc audietur suauitas illa celestis?
Secundus, scilicet defensor, trepidat in corde, vacuus est manibus, quia trepidat pro scandalo mundi et amissione honoris eius.
Vacuus est manibus, quia nulla diuina opera facit, sed omnia, que facit, facit pro mundo.
Quis ergo tunc defendet populum meum, si ille, qui caput deberet esse, timet?
Tercius est velut asinus, qui caput inclinat ad terram et stat quatuor pedibus iunctis simul.
Vere sicut asinus est populus, qui nulla desiderat nisi terrena, qui negligit celestia et querit caduca. Ipse quasi quatuor pedes habet, quia modicam habet fidem et vacuam spem, tercio nulla opera bona, quarto voluntatem completam ad peccatum.
Inde os gule et cupiditati semper apertum stat. Ecce, amici mei, quomodo per tales potest abyssus illa insaciabilis minui, quomodo fauus poterit impleri?"
Tunc respondit mater Dei: "Benedictus sis tu, fili mi! Querimonia tua iusta est. Ego et amici tui non habemus ad te pro humano genere aliquam excusacionem nisi unum verbum, in quo saluari potest.
Hoc est: 'Miserere, Iesu Christe, fili Dei viui!' Hoc ego clamo, hoc et amici tui."
Respondit filius: "Verba tua sunt suauia in auribus meis, sapiunt delectabiliter in ore, intrant cum caritate in cor.
Ego habeo unum clericum et unum defensorem et unum rusticum.
Primus est delectabilis sicut sponsa, quam sponsus honestissimus cum diuina caritate toto desiderio desiderat. Huius vox erit sicut vox, que ex clamore et collocucione resultat in siluis.
Secundus erit paratus dare vitam suam pro me, non timebit mundi obprobrium. Hunc ego armabo armis Spiritus sancti.
Tercius habebit tam firmam fidem, quod dicet sic: 'Tam firmiter credo, quod quasi videam, que credo. Spero eciam omnia, que promiserat Deus.'
Voluntatem habebit faciendi bona et proficiendi in bono et omittere mala.
In os primi hominis dictorum trium ponam tria verba, que clamabit.
Primo clamabit: 'Qui habet fidem, faciat opere, que credit!' Secundo: 'Qui sperat firmiter, stabilis sit in omni bono.' Tercio: 'Qui diligit perfecte et caritatiue, desideret feruenter videre, que diligit!'
Secundus erit quasi leo fortis in laborando, in inisidiis precauendis sollicitus et stabilis in perseuerando.
Tercius erit sapiens sicut serpens, qui stabit in cauda et caput leuabit ad celum.
Isti complebunt voluntatem meam. Hos sequentur alii. Et licet tres nomino, et per eos tamen plures intelligo."
Deinde loquebatur ad sponsam dicens: "Sta stabilis! Noli sollicitari de mundo, non de obprobrio, quia, qui omnia obprobria audiui, ego sum Deus tuus et Dominus."
Notes
- 1 ↩The Latin term 'fauus' is used here; while it can mean 'honeycomb', in this context of an 'insatiable abyss' and 'filling', it functions as a metaphor for a gaping, empty space or throat.
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