Professor CJ Jones discusses this project in her translator’s preface.
| Latin Ave virginalis forma
Ave, virginalis forma, |
Middle High German Ave virginalis forma
Ave, grüest pist, magtleich forme, |
| Chere, numen in prophetis, vere lumen, pax in metis, regnans virtus alma, Dei caritate culta, spei claritate fulta, pregnans mirtus, palma. |
Clar grüest wol geist in propheten, gar süß volleist, frid in steten, blüender tugent palme. Der götleichen schön ein czir, gar notleichen, vrawe, sein wir, du grüender iugent galme. |
| Engadina vitis mitis, pretium in margaritis, casta generatio, Forma, quae senile hyle esse duxit ad subtile, noys veneratio. |
Engadi, weinreb besnitten gullt in margaritten, kewscher kewsche kewsch gepurd. Forme der materie erge bracht in höchster wesen kerge, gotleich wird, ee ichz ye wurd. |
| Gabaon in victoria, sol lucens in gloria Iosue victoris. Honor throni gratiae eius in facie cornuti lictoris. |
Gabaon, der stat sigeswunn, sighafte ware sunn Josue des kemphen. Höhste wird, der gnaden thron, sonn enmitten brehndem fron Moisi on demphen. |
| Jaspidina preclaritas, quam fides polivit, aspidina disparitas quam numquam attrivit in cor Evae sata. Karissima deliciis affluens natura, clarissima e viciis est palmae statura tua similata. |
Jaspis, du stein, den der gelouben reiniklich hat gepoliret. der slangen schein mit posem rat den hat nie veriret, der in Eve herz sich span. Karissima, liebst aller lieb, wünschelfluß naturen, die reinste, ja on sünden stieb, den palm deiner figuren wol sich zugelichen kan. |
| Leonis vox mox suscitans nos ab Ade clade. Phoenicis phos nos renovans a letali mali primevo prohemio. Materia, qua latuit pellicanus sanus. Unicornis vis patuit mortis pirgo, virgo, tuo casto gremio. |
Lebendiger leo schre, der uns jünget von Adames schame. Der ffenix glut frut, der uns iünget von tödleichem kreyse, das von erst her auf uns doß. Maidleich steinwant nam in dir pelicanus same, einhurnes sin on flüchtes gir todes freise, meide czart in diner kewsche scher. |
| Noemi sine Mara, clara, cara, gnara sara, paradisus, in qua deus homo visus expers omnis criminis. Orthodoxa firmata, nata, grata, data, rata, sata, soli regens cardines ac poli, stupor dagon liminis. |
Noemi du bist, die schön, on bitter gar; zwar klar war Sar; paradise, darinn got mensch kom zu wyse frey vor aller sünden spür. Ordens recht, ee, firmenung der Trinitat, rat, pfat, sat, stat, natürleichen erd und hymlisch dir weichen, voraus Dagon unde verpir. |
| Porta clausa, quam transivit de Bosra formosus, cuius pausa te sanxivit, ut flos fructuosus esses fragrans omina. Quis appendit terrae molem digitis tris dei? Quis comprendit patris prolem?Dic, o mater spei sancta, “Ego, domina.” |
Port verklauset, dich durchsleiche von Bosra der schöne. Rein, dich pauset sein umbreiche, daz ein, bluende vrawe, du wart voller selikeit. Quis wer henget an erd laste Gots drien vingern einer? Iht, wer fenget vaters glaste? O sprich, muter reiner hoffnung: “ich vrawe, vrawe und meit.” |
| Rubus, moysi fiscella, incombustus in procella mundi, nans immobilis. Splendor patris et figura, factor factus creatura tua, virgo nobilis. |
Röttent Moysi staud, zistel, unverprannt, in der werlde mystel fluet die schwam, on sünden rür. Schein des vaters und figure, schepfer wart dein creature, edle magt magdleicher küer. |
| Tu caritate media thronus es constratus. Tu cosmi tollens tedia noe demonstratus pace tipis iridis. Virgo Maria, Domini sabaoth electa, tu unica spes homini mentumque delecta, Iacob stropha viridis. |
Tu, rechter lieb mit rechter mitt, bist ein thron bestrete. Du hast der werlde treg verquitt, Noe zeichen stete, fridlich regenbogen, bekant. Vraw magt, Maria, des herren Sabaoth erkesen, du weinreb on alles werren, menschen hof, süß wesen. Jacob list dein kind ervant. |
| Xpristi Iesu mater, ave, mortis anxioma grave, dum advenerit, da suave vesper, reos ad conclave collocans yerarchicum. Yesse virga, veni, veni, duc in Bethel ductu leni, ubi psallunt quater seni senes noua laude pleni euphonos seraphicum. |
Xpristi Jhesu mueter, grüßig, wann des todes not unmüßig mit uns werd, so tu schwer büßig. Sawer we mach, mueter, süßig in der hymmel yerarchye. Yesse fron gert, kum, kum schyre. Für hin z’ Bethel uns zu dire, do da singent sehsstund viere altherren. Eia, do ziere uns in chören seraphie. |
| Zelotem deum patrem ora, nato, iube, sine mora, amborum flamen implora, ut uniti sint in prora, dum transimus rubrum mare. Illic, Iacob stella, clare, ut possimus transfretare tecum laeti post examen. Fiat, fiat, Amen, Amen. |
Zarte guldnin, got vater flege, schaff mit got sun durch vermege, got ir beider geist erwege, daß wir on des schiffes pflege durch des wilden meres trone, do lücht Jacobs stern schone, daß wir himelischen frone vor gerichte in deinem namen. Das gescheh, das gescheh! Amen. Amen. |
“Ave virginalis forma:” A Modern English Verse Translation by CJ Jones:
| Ave, hail, thou virgin form Of divinity thou norm Lamb of Syon’s temple Blowing from the south discreetly Cyprus garland smelling sweetly Of peace an example |
| Come divine speak to your prophets Light of peace within all limits Virtue ruling tender Decked with divine charity Backed by hope’s sure clarity Pregnant now with wonder |
| Engadi the vine sweetly curls So preciously as forming pearls In chaste generation Form which led material To a state more spiritual Inner veneration |
| Gibeon in victory Sun shining in the glory of Joshua the subjugator Honor of the throne of grace Radiating from the face Of Moses the litigator |
| Jasper’s bright clarity By faith ever burnished The adder’s disparity which never diminished once sown in Eve’s heart. Karissima, O dearest abundant nature from vices the clearest the palm’s tall stature is like to your art. |
| Lion’s voice awakes us now freed from Adam’s deed The phoenix’s fire renews the vow to save us from the grave made at the world’s beginning Material which received Man’s healing pelican The unicorn’s power conceived In your womb, virgin, saved us from mortal sinning. |
| Naomi without bitter glitters Sarah, fair, aware in paradise In whom God did visualize Man free from all treachery Orthodoxy’s right incited, Sanely reigning, fain ordains the sun, Overseeing the destruction Of Dagon’s sanctuary |
| Portal closed which the handsome Crossed from Bosra through To perfect your fruitful blossom Biding within you, Sweetly smelling flower Quis, who dangles the earth’s burden From the hand of God? Who contains the father’s scion? Mother, say I, awed, By my lady’s power |
| Redly burns here Moses’s briar, Unconsumed in stormy fire, A basket in the Nile’s flow. Splendor of the father’s figure, The creator now your creature, Thou virgin, pure as white snow. |
| Thou by the means of charity Are now the upright throne Free us from earthly vanity Who made to Noah known The promise of the rainbow Virgin O Mary, mother kind The chosen commander Alone the hope of all mankind Guarantor of the plunder Of Jacob tricking Esau |
| Xprist Jesus’s Mother Thee we greet Who drives death ‘fore her in retreat Repenting now we pray for sweet repose with the heav’nly elite Repairing all our wrongs Yew branch, Jesse tree, come nigh Lead us to Bethel, where on high The four-and-twenty elders cry And, full with praise, thee glorify In the seraphic songs |
| Zealously, Father, I pray to thee, Command, when I am on the sea that my ship without hindrance be With wind in the sails peacefully So, as if crossing Red Sea sand, I’ll follow Jacob’s star to land, Joyous, place myself in your hand, After I cross life’s stormy ocean Lord, let it be so, Amen, Amen. |
Claire Taylor Jones
Assistant Professor of German
University of Notre Dame
Featured Image: "Ave virginalis forma" from Munich, Bavarian State Library, cgm 716