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Original Latin Text

texts from the chants of
Hildegard von Bingen
______________________________


O Ecclesia

O Ecclesia,
oculi tui similes saphiro sunt,
et aures tue monti Bethel,
et nasus tuus est sicut mons mirre et thuris,
et os tuum quasi sonus
aquarum multarum.

In visione vere fidei
Ursula Filium Dei amavit
et Virum cum hoc seculo reliquit
et in solem aspexit
atque pulcherrimum iuvenem vocavit, dicens:

In multo desiderio
desideravi ad te venire
et in celestibus nuptiis tecum sedere,
per alienam viam ad te currens
velut nubes que in purissimo aere
currit similis saphiro.

Et postquam Ursula sic dixerat,
rumor iste per omnes populos exiit.

Et dixerunt:
"Innocentia puellaris ignorantie
nescit quid dicit."

Et ceperunt ludere cum illa
in magna symphonia,
usque cum ignea sarcina super eam cecidit.

Unde omnes cognoscebant
quia contemptus mundi
est sicut mons Bethel.

Et cognoverunt etiam
suavissimum odorem mirre et thuris,
quoniam contemptus mundi super omnia ascendit.

Tunc diabolus
membra sua invasit,
que nobilissimos mores
in coporibus istis
occiderunt.

Et hoc in alto voce omnia elementa audierunt
et ante thronum Dei dixerunt::
"Wach! rubicundus sanguis innocentis agni
in desponsatione sua effusus est."

Hoc audiant omnes celi
et in summa symphonia
laudent Agnum Dei,
quia guttur serpentis antique
in istis margaritis
materie Verbi Dei
suffocatum est.



This text is derived from the Wiesbaden manuscript.

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English Translation

texts from the chants of
Hildegard von Bingen
______________________________


O Beloved

O Beloved,
your eyes appear as sapphires,
your ears as the mount of Bethel,
your nose as mountains of myrrh and incense,
and from your mouth issues sound,
as a multitude of waters.

Enraptured by true faith,
Ursula gave her love to the Son of God,
leaving behind men with the things of this world,
and she gazed into the sun
summoning the fairest youth, saying:

"With the greatest desire
I have longed to come unto you
and cleave to you in heavenly marriage,
hastening to you on this unknown path,
like clouds that in the purest air
appear to fly in sapphire."

After Ursula had so said,
a rumor spread through all the peoples.

And they said:
"This innocent young girl is ignorant
of what she is saying."

And in a single great sound
they began to mock her,
until a fiery burden fell upon her.

Then they all realized
that whosoever rejects this world
is as the mountain of Bethel.

And they also recognized
the sweetest aromas of myrrh and incense,
for disregard of this world rises above all.

Then the devil
entered into the bodies of his allies,
and these women,
in whom the most virtues had been incarnated,
were slaughtered.

Their voices were heard by all the Elements,
who came before the throne of God, saying:
"Ah! the ruby blood of each innocent lamb
is poured out in betrothal to Heaven."

Let all heavens hear,
and in the greatest of symphonies
give praise to the Lamb of God.

Because the ancient serpent is suffocated
by these pearls,
made from the Word of God.

 

This chant appears on the recording Unfurling Love's Creation