"Can traverse the illimitable way,
"Which the one Substance in three Persons follows!
"Mortals, remain contented at the 'Quia;' *
"For if ye had been able to see all,
"No need there were for Mary to give birth;
"And ye have seen desiring without fruit,
"Those whose desire would have been quieted,
"Which evermore is given them for a grief."
* - from what I could find on Google, "Quia" is an adjective (not comparable) (Lutheranism) Relating to the belief that the Book of Concord is authoritative because it faithfully describes the Christian faith as revealed in the Bible.
"After I had my body lacerated
"By these two mortal stabs, I gave myself
"Weeping to Him, who willingly doth pardon.
"Horrible my iniquities had been;
"But Infinite Goodness hath such ample arms,
"That it receives whatever turns to it."
"This mount is such, that ever
"At the beginning down below 'tis tiresom,
"And aye the more one climbs, the less it hurts.
"Therefore, when it shall seem so pleasant to thee,
"That going up shall be to thee as easy
"As going down the current in a boat,
"Then at this pathway's ending thou wilt be;
"There to repose thy panting breath expect;
"No more I answer; and this I know for true."
"Why doth thy mind so occupy itself,
"That thou thy pace dost slacken?
"What matters it to thee what here is whispered?
"Come after me, and let the people talk;
"Stand like a steadfast tower, that never wags
"Its top for all the blowing of the winds;
"For evermore the man in whom is springing
"Thought upon thought, removes from him the mark,
"Because the force of one the other weakens."
"Long since we all were slain by violence,
"And sinners even to the latest hour;
"Then did a light from heaven admonish us,
"So that, being penitent and pardoning, forth
"From life we issued reconciled to God,
"Who with desire to see Him stirs our hearts."
"'Twas he of Este had it done, who held me
"In hatred far beyond what justice willed."
"and for no crime else
"Did I lose heaven, than for not having faith;"
"There dwell I with the little innocents
"Snatched by the teeth of Death, or ever they
'Were from our human sinfulness exempt.
"There dwell I among those who the three saintly
"Virtues did not put on, and without vice
"The others knew and followed all of them."
"'Twas now the hour that turneth back desire
"In those who sail the sea, and melts the heart,
"The day they've said to their sweet friends farewell,
"And the new pilgrim penetrates with love,
"If he doth hear from far away a bell
"That seemeth to deplore the dying day"
"How long in woman lasts the fire of love,
"If eye or touch do not relight it often."
"Do ya not comprehend that we are worms,
"Born to bring forth the angelic butterfly
"That flieth undo judgement without screen?"
"In sooth I had not been so courteous
"While I was living, for the great desire
"Of excellence, on which my heart was bent.
"Here of such pride is paid the forfeiture;
"And yet I should not be here, were it not
"That, having power to sin, I turned to God."
"Covered with sackcloth vile they seemed to me,
"And one sustained the other with his shoulder,
"And all of them were by the bank sustained."
"For all their lids an iron wire transpierces,
"And sews them up, as to a sparhawk wild
"Is done, because he will not quiet."
"through the horrible seam,
"Pressed out the tears so that they bathed their cheeks."
"Small is the offence
"Committed by their being turned with envy."
"As avarice had extinguished our affection
"For every good, whereby was action lost,
"So justice here doth hold us in restraint,
"Bound and imprisoned by the feet and hands;
"And so long as it pleases the just Lord
"Shall we remain immovable and prostrate."
"The while among the verdant leaves mine eyes
"I riveted, as he is wont to do
"Who wastes his life pursuing little birds,"
"Make me not speak while I am marveling,
"For ill speaks he who's full of other longings."
"The water which thou seest springs not from vein
"Restored by vapour that the cold condenses,
"Like to a stream that gains or loses breath;
"But issues from a fountain safe and certain,
"Which by the will of God as much regains
"As it discharges, open on two sides.
"Upon this side with virtue it descends,
"Which takes away all memory of sin;
"On that, of every good deed done restores it."
"The four and twenty Elders, two by two,
"Came on incoronate with flower-de-luce.
"They all of them were singing: 'Blessed thou
"Among the daughters of Adam art, and blessed
"For evermore shall be thy loveliness.'
"After the flowers and other tender grasses
"In front of me upon the other margin
"Were disencumbered of that race elect,
"Even as in heaven star followeth after star,
"There came close after them four animals,
"Incoronate each one with verdant leaf.
"Plumed with six wings was every one of them,
"The plumage full of eyes; the eyes of Argus
"If they were living would be such as these."
"Over her snow-white veil with olive cinct
"Appeared a lady under a green mantle,
"Vested in colour of the living flame.
"And my own spirit, that already now
"So long a time had been, that in her presence
"Trembling with awe it had not stood abashed,
"Without more knowledge having by mine eyes,
"Through occult virtue that from her proceeded
"Of ancient love the mighty influence felt.
"As soon as on my vision smote the power
"Sublime, that had already pierced me through
"Ere from my boyhood I had yet come forth,
"To the left hand I turned with that reliance
"With which the little child runs to his mother,
"When he as fear, or when he is afflicted."
"As to the son the mother seems superb,
"So she appeared to me; for somewhat bitter
"Tasteth the savour of severe compassion."
New Vocab: Asperges - is a name given to the rite of sprinkling a congregation with holy water.
"My soul was tasting of the food, that while
"It satisfies us makes us hunger for it."
"Of fear and bashfullness
"Henceforward I will have thee strip thyself,
"So that thou speak no more as one who dreams."
"From the most holy water I returned
"Regenerate, in the manner of new trees
"That are renewed with a new foliage,
"Pure and disposed to mount unto the stars."
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