Hildegard to the Provost
The Letters
I have greatly desired to see you in person, but various matters of business have prevented me. Now, at least, God has granted me the opportunity to embrace you and greet you in a letter. We would not have you ignorant of your good reputation, but at the same time we are unwilling to embrace you with our greeting beyond what is proper. We will intercede to God for you to the best of our ability both day and night.a 1 Therefore, compassionate lady, please remember me, sinner that I am, before the merciful majesty of God. Farewell, while it is called "today" in heaven
[cf. Heb 3.13].
Note 1. There are problems with translation of the almost opaque Latin here, numerous problems, and we cannot be assured that we have solved all of them satisfactorily.
The emendations of the Patrologia editor, who makes all passive infinitives active and all second person plural pronouns first person plural, will perhaps indicate something of the desperateness of the passage. Van Acker, nevertheless, preserves the MS reading intact with no indication whatsoever of any problem. See endnote for the Latin text.
98r Hildegard to the Provost Before 1173 Hildegard replies to the provost with a letter of general consolation.
In a true vision I heard and saw these words: Sometimes the first light of day shines brightly, but, later, dawn is stripped away because the sky becomes overshadowed with great storm clouds. Then the eagle soars high and sighs deeply, because the earlier part of the day was beautiful and free from the turbulence of the storms.
Therefore, O man, you who have knowledge of good and evil [cf. Gen 2.21], consider what kind of person you are and give thought to all the things you have done in God's sight since childhood. Take heed to such things, lest the zeal of the Lord strike you, and lest your spirit say on its departure from the body, "Woe is me! What lies before me, and where will I go?" Or, "What have my days been like, and what, my works? They are such as the millhouse of my body has revealed to me."a Beware also, lest you shake with fear when the citizens of heaven say to you, "See what kind of God God is."
Now, live forever.