Latin

O Presul Vere Civitatis

O presul vere civitatis,
qui in templo angularis lapidis
ascendens in celum
in terra prostrates fuisti
propter Deum.
 
Tu, peregrimus a semine mundi,
desiderasti exul fieri
propter amorem Christi.
 
O mons clause mentis,
tu assidue pulcram faciem aperuisti
in speculo columbe.
 
Tu in obsconso latuisti,
inebriatus odore florum,
per cancellos sanctorum
emicans Deo.
 
O culmen in clavibus celi,
quod propter perspicuam vitam
mundum vendidisti,
hoc certamem, alme confessor,
semper habes in Domino.
 
In tua enim mente
fons vivus clarissima luce
purissimos rivulos eduxit
per viam salutis.
 
Tu magna turris
ante altare summi Dei,
et huius turris culmen obrumbrasti
per fumum aromatum.
 
O Disibode, in tuo lumine
per exempla puri soni
membra mirifice laudis edificasti
in duabus partibus
per filium hominis.
 
In alto stas
non erubescens ante Deum vivum,
et protegis viridi rore:
laudemus Deum ista voce:
 
O dulcis vita,
et o beata perseverantia
que in hoc beato Disibodo
gloriosum lumen semper edificasti
in celesti Ierusalem.
 
Nunc sit laus Deo
in forma pulcre tonsure
viriliter operante.
 
Et superni cives gaudeant
de his qui eos
hoc modo imitantur.
 
–– Hildegard von Bingen

English

O dancer of the true city

O dancer of the true city,
who in the temple with the finial-stone
soaring Heavenwards
was prostrate on the earth
for God.

You, wanderer of the seed of Man,
longed to be an exile
for the love of Christ.

O summit of the cloistered mind
you tirelessly showed a beautiful face
in the mirror of the dove.

You lived hidden in a secluded place,
intoxicated with the aroma of flowers,
reaching forth to God
through the lattices of the saints.

O gable on the cloisters of Heaven,
because you have bartered the world
for an unclouded life
you will always have this prize in the Lord,
O nourishing witness.

For in your mind
the living fountain in clearest light
courses purest rills
through the channel of salvation.

You are an immense tower
before the altar of the Highest
and you cloud the roof of this tower
with the smoke of perfumes.

O Disibod, by your light,
and with models of pure sound,
you have wondrously built aisles of praise
with two parts
through the Son of Man.

You stand on high
not blushing before the living God,
and you cover all with refreshing dew:
let us praise God with these words:

O sweet life,
and O blessed constancy,
which in the celestial Jerusalem
has always built a glorious light
in this blessed Disibod.

Now praise be to God
in the worthy form
of the meaningful, beautiful tonsure.

And let the Heavenly citizens
rejoice in those
who have imitated them in this way.