Ave Generosa

Ave, generosa,
gloriosa et intacta puella.
Tu pupilla castitatis,
tu materia sanctitatis,
que Deo placuit.

Nam hec superna infusio in te fuit,
quod supernum Verbum in te carnem induit.

Tu candidum lilium,
quod Deus ante omnem creaturam inspexit.

O pulsherrima et dulcissima,
quam valde Deus in te delectabatur,
cum amplexionem caloris sui in te posuit,
ita quod Filius eius de te lactatus est.

Venter enim tuus gaudium havuit,
cum omnis celestis symphonia de te sonuit,
quia, Virgo, Filium Dei portasti,
ubi castitas tua in Deo claruit.

Viscera tua gaudium habuerunt,
sicut gramen, super quod ros cadit,
cum ei viriditatem infudit,
ut et in te factum est,
o Mater omnis gaudii.

Nunc omnis Ecclesia in gaudio rutilet
ac in symphonia sonet
propter dulcissima Virginem
et laudabilem Mariam, dei Genitricem.

Amen


In the pupil of chastity's eye
I beheld you
untouched.
Generous maid! Know that it's God
who broods over you.

For heaven flooded you like
unbodied speech
and you gave it a tongue.

Glistening
lily: before all worlds
you lured the supernal one.

How he reveled
in your charms! how your beauty
warmed to his caresses
till you gave your breast to his child.

And your womb held joy when heaven's
harmonies rang from you,
a maiden with child by God,
for in God your chastity blazed.

Yes your flesh held joy like the grass
when the dew falls, when heaven
freshens its green: O mother
of gladness, verdure of spring.

Ecclesia, flush with rapture! Sing
for Mary's sake, sing
for the maiden, sing
for God's mother. Sing!

Hildegard von Bingen