The Flowing Light of Divinity
 (selections)
MECHTILD of MAGDEBURG (Beguine)
 
 

 


The original Middle Low German original of Das Fliessende Licht no longer exists.  This English version is based principally on the Latin translation of 1298 with reference also to the High German translation of c. 1345 and the English version of Frank Tobin (CWS. Paulist, 1998)


11. The Miraculous Beer;   12.The Pregnant Nun


 

GERMAN/Engl. BOOK 6.35
L
ATIN: (in margin) BOOK 3.16, p. 537

LIBER TERTIUS XVI.

35. The Soul Speaks to her Resurrected Body

ALLOQUITUR ANIMA CORPUS
 SUUM RESURGENDI. P. 537  [margin=6.35][p.537]

Arise, my beloved,” and be healed of all

Surge, dilecte mi,et consolare, recuperans omnes

punishment

poenas

[your] infirmity

infirmitatis tux,

humiliation,

despectionis,

sadness,

tristitiæ,

exile,

exilii,

wounds,

læsionis,

and labors.

et laboris.

The morning star is arisen: that is the birth and glorious way of life of the virgin Mary.

Ortus est lucifer, videlicet nativitas
Mariæ virginis et conversatio gloriosa.

The sun has shone in God becoming man, in his labor and glorious ascension

Refulsit sol Christus homo factus,
opera ejus et glorificata ascensio.

The moon will be established forever:

Luna in æternum stabit ;

that is, that we shall arise immortal in eternal life.

hoc est, nos resurgentes in æterna vita erimus immortales.

In the past my entire well-being [health]  depended on you;

Olim omnis salus mea fuit in te;

Now your entire consolation depends on me.

nunc omnis consolatio tua manet in me ;

If I had not come back to you,

nisi enim rediissem ad te ,

You would never be taken from these ashes.

pulverem nullus erexisset te.

Eternal day has arisen for us.

Æternus dies illuxit,

On which we received the payment for our labor.

in quo nobis merces pro laboribus tribuetur. »

These are the words of the soul to her body at the Resurrection on the Last Day.

Haec sunt verba anima, ad corpus suum
 in die resurrectionis novissimæ

   
   

 

 

On The Seven Canonical Hours That are Recited by Those Who are Sick
German translation: Book 1.30
Latin: Book 4, ch. 27, pp. 580-581

XXVI. DE SEPTEM HORIS
 CANONICIS QUAS INFIRMA DICEBAT.
LIBRA QUARTUS, CAPUT XXVII. 580-581
 pp. 580-581I. 3o.

[1.30]

30. The Seven Hours are described thus:

Septem horæ describuntur hic :

MATINS:

MATUTINE. — minnem vol, ein sûze wol.

The abundance of love is pleasant sweetness.

Ad Matutinas : plenitudo amoris, suavitas est dulcoris.

PRIME:

PRIMA. — minnem gere, ein sûze swere.

The desire of love is the burning [away] of affliction.

Ad Primam : amoris desiderium doloris est incendium.

TERCE:

TERTIA. — minnem lust, ein sûze durst.

The pleasure of love is sweet thirst.

Ad Tertiam : voluptas amoris est dulcis sitis

SEXT:

SEXTA. — minnem sullen, ein sûze kûlen.

The sensation of love [is] a sweet cooling.

Ad Sextam : amoris sensus refrigerat sensus.

NONES:

NONA. — minnem tot, ein sûze not.

The death of love is a sweet [agreeable] distress.

Ad Nonam : amoris mors est angustia concors.

VESPERS:

VESPERÆ. — minnem fliessen, ein sûze giessen.

The outflowing [torment] of love is a sweet inpouring.

Ad Vesperas : amoris afflictio est devotionis infusio.

COMPLINE

Complet. — minnem rüwen, ein sûze frowen.

The rest of love is a sweet [honorable] joy.

Ad Completorium : requies amoris est gaudium honoris.

The holy woman was accustomed to chant these seven saying when physically debilitated, praying [them] even when [her] fervor of spirit was dulled.

Haec septem verba femina sancta, corpore
debilitato, prece spirites fervore, vel etiam per languorem amorem delectantem, decantare Domino consuevit.

 

 

BOOK 4 p.172    BOOK 4 ch. 24 LATIN BOOK II, ch 16 pp. 510-511

Latin pp. 510-511 LIBER SECUNDUS, CAPUT XVI [in margin “IV.24”]

On the Manifold Gates of Heaven

XVI. DE MULTIPLICIBUS PORTIS CŒLI.

24 How God Receives the Souls in Heaven; How He Crowns Three Kinds of People; How He Greets, Adorns, Praises, and Thanks Them

 

The kingdom of heaven has many beautiful gates and yet it has none. The many doors are the glorious different rewards with which God receives each soul, and all of heaven opens up for God’s lovely bride. God descends through all the choirs toward the soul, and the whole heavenly host follows him with everything beautiful in proportion to what she may receive as her reward. Thus does the soul joyfully leave purgatory or her exile on earth. Many a fair angel follows her as well. At the gates of heaven the two lovers meet-God and the soul. The noble look with which he receives her and the holy reflection of his splendor that she receives from him have such power in her that she can never again think of what has caused her harm or interior sorrow.

REGNUM coelorum multas habet portas, [et tarnen nullam habet.] Portarum multiplicitas e•t præmiorum diversitas, quibus singulorunl fidelium animas suscipit, coelum-que se totum aperit in occursum amabilis Dei sponsæ. Transit per omnes choros descendens Altissimus, occurrens fideli anima, quern coelestis sequitur exercitus secundum Dei gratiam gloriosus. Egreditur auteur anima vet de purgatorio vel de hoc exilio, quant comitatur etiam angelica multitudo. In porta caeli conveniunt Deus et anima, dilectus cunt dilecta. Aspectus nobilis, quo anima suscipitur et a Deo gratanter intuila resplendet et ornatur. Tantæ virtutis est aspectus fille ut a corde ejus omnem præteriti supplicii muerorem, molestiam aufert et dolorem.

The usual crown of the kingdom is placed upon her head at the gate; that is God’s will. With it he leads her in with honor. That is why it is called the crown of the kingdom. That sinner who was evil to the end and to whom God then sends sorrow receives no other honor as his reward. God crowns three kinds of people with his fatherly hands: virgins, widows, and married people. Just as he receives them with all praise, so does he then crown them. Widows and married people are crowned by our Lord as he sits in almighty glory. But for the virgins he rises and crowns them, standing like the son of an emperor. He greets them inwardly with his living Godhead; he honors them outwardly with his almighty humanity; he adorns them with the generosity of the Holy Spirit; he also rewards them everlastingly according to rank with the whole Trinity in his kingdom for all that which they bring along. He thanks them all individually for coming, and they praise God fervently that he saved them from eternal death.

Corona regni in hac porta capiti ejus imponitur, cum qua ad regnum gloriose introducitur. Corona hæc regni Dei voluntas nuncupatur; us,luead mortem peccanti, quam Deus per finalem poeniten-tiam visitat,rterces illa dignitatis non indulgetur. Tria sunt genera hominum quos Dominus dignatur suis paternis manibus coronare, videlicet virgines, viduas et matrimonio copulatos. Quos cum solemn iter susceperit, postea eis coronas imponit. Viduas et de legitimo thoro coronal sedens in sede majestatis suæ; virginibus autem assurgens coronas stans imponit, tamquam imperatoris filius gloriosus. Salutat eas interius sua divinitate; honorat exterius omnipotenti humanitate ; decorat Sancti Spiritus largitate, remuneratque omnia ipsorum merita Trinitatis æternitate, gratias agens singulis quod ad suas nuptias convenerunt ; illique Deo reddunt gloriam quod per ejus gratiam mortem perpetuam evaserunt.

 

 

 



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