C.D. Warner, et al., comp.
The Library of the World’s Best Literature. An Anthology in Thirty Volumes. 1917.
De Sancto Spiritu (On the Holy Spirit)
By Adam de Saint Victor (Twelfth Century)
A
Love of the Father and of the Son, equal of both and [fully] equal and like to each: thou dost replenish all things, dost cherish all things, thou dost direct the stars and move the heavens, remaining immutable thyself.
Bright light, dear light, thou dost put to flight the gloom of inner darkness: by thee the worlds are purified. Thou dost destroy sin and the blight of sin.
Thou dost make known the truth, and dost show the way of peace and the road of justice; thou dost shun the hearts of the evil, and dost enrich the hearts of the good with the gift of knowledge.
When thou dost teach, nothing is obscure; when thou art present, then is naught impure: at thy presence our joyful soul exults; our conscience, gladdened by thee, purified by thee, rejoices.
Thou dost change the elements; thanks to thee the sacraments have their efficacy; thou dost repel injury and violence [lit., injurious violence]; thou dost silence and confute the wickedness of the enemy.
When thou dost come, thou dost soften our hearts; when thou dost enter [them], the black clouds of darkness [lit., the darkness of the black cloud] flee. O sacred fire, thou dost inflame our breast; thou dost not burn it, but thou dost cleanse it from [all earthly] cares when thou dost visit it.
Thou dost instruct and arouse minds that before were ignorant and buried in sleep and forgetfulness. Thou dost help our tongues, and dost form the sound [of our word?]; the grace given by thee makes our heart inclined to the good.
O help of the oppressed, O comfort of the wretched, refuge of the poor! grant us contempt for things of earth; draw our desires to the love of things of heaven.
Drive away evil, remove our impurity, and make the discordant concordant, and bring us thy protection.
Mayst thou, who didst once visit, teach, and strengthen the disciples in their fear, deign to visit us; mayst thou console us if it is thy will, and the peoples that believe [in thee].
Equal is the majesty of the Persons, equal is their power, and common is their Godhead: thou that dost proceed from two art coequal with both; in nothing is there inequality.
Because thou art so great and such as is the Father, may thy humble servants [the humility of thy servants] render due praise to God the Father, to the Son [our] Redeemer, and as well to thee!