O Jerusalem, city of gold,
adorned with the purple of the King;
O building of highest excellence
which is a light never darkened.
Truly, you are resplendent
in the dawn and the heat of the sun.
O blessed boyhood
glimmering in the dawn,
and O wonderful time of youth
aflame in the sun.
From you, O noble Rupert,
shimmer in these like a jewel,
whence you cannot be hidden to fools;
the valley cannot hide the mountain.
Your windows, Jerusalem,
are wondrously adorned
with topaz and sapphire.
As you blaze in the windows, O Rupert,
you are revealed even to those
whose faith is lukewarm–
just as the valley cannot hide the mountain–
crowned with roses, lilies and purple
in a true revelation.
O soft flower of the grassland;
O sweet greenness of the apple;
O garnered load without pith;
none stoop to evil from your weight.
O sublime and unpolluted vessel,
not drained
in the dance in the old cave
and not running
with sores inflicted by the Ancient Enemy.
The Holy Spirit rings in you, for you are
numbered among the singers of Heaven,
and because you are honoured in Christ
since you have no stain.
What a pure vessel you are, O Rupert,
who sighed after God in fear of God in your boyhood
and in your youth,
and in the clasp of love,
and in the sweetest odour of good works.
O Jerusalem, your foundation is laid
with showering stones,
which is with tax-gatherers and sinners
who were stray sheep,
but found by the son of God
they ran to you
and were placed in you.
Then your walls blaze with living stones,
who by the greatest zeal of good will
have flown like clouds in Heaven.
And so your towers, O Jerusalem,
glow and gleam in the dawn-redness
and in the incandescence of the saints,
and with all the treasures of God
which you do not lack, O Jerusalem.
Whence you, O adorned ones,
and O crowned ones, who dwell in Jerusalem,
and you, Rupert,
who are their friend in that dwelling,
help us, servants
labouring in exile.
(Hildegard von Bingen)
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Based on Topics: Love Poems, God Poems, Light Poems, Youth Poems, Heaven Poems, Christianity Poems, Kings & Queens Poems, Fear Poems, Gold Poems, Belief & Faith Poems, Jesus Christ PoemsBased on Keywords: unpolluted, rupert, grassland, incandescence, tax-gatherers