Baruch - Ten Propositions of Baruch Spinoza

Translations © by Grant Hicks

Song Cycle by Michael Zev Gordon (b. 1963)

View original-language texts alone: Baruch - Ten Propositions of Baruch Spinoza

1. Omnis substantia est necessario infinita
 (Sung text)
Language: Latin 
Omnis substantia est necessario infinita.

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

by Baruch (Benedictus) de Spinoza (1632 - 1677)
1. Every substance is necessarily infinite
Language: English 
Every substance is necessarily infinite.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Latin to English copyright © 2025 by Grant Hicks, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
    Contact: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2025-08-02
Line count: 1
Word count: 5

Translation © by Grant Hicks
2. Ex necessitate divinae naturae infinita infinitis modis... 
 (Sung text)
Language: Latin 
Ex necessitate divinae naturae infinita infinitis modis 
(hoc est, omnia, quae sub intellectum infinitum cadere possunt) 
sequi debent.

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

by Baruch (Benedictus) de Spinoza (1632 - 1677)
2. Of the necessity of the divine nature, infinite things in infinite ways...
Language: English 
Of the necessity of the divine nature, infinite things in infinite ways
(that is, all things that can fall under an infinite intellect)
must follow.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Latin to English copyright © 2025 by Grant Hicks, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
    Contact: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2025-08-02
Line count: 3
Word count: 25

Translation © by Grant Hicks
3. Mens nostra quaedam agit... 
 (Sung text)
Language: Latin 
Mens nostra quaedam agit, quaedam vero patitur 
nempe quatenus adaequatas habet ideas eatenus quaedam necessario agit 
et quatenus ideas habet inadaequatas eatenus necessario quaedam patitur.

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

by Baruch (Benedictus) de Spinoza (1632 - 1677)
3. Our mind sometimes acts
Language: English 
Our mind sometimes acts, sometimes is acted upon instead:
indeed, to the extent that it has adequate ideas, it of necessity acts;
and to the extent that it has inadequate ideas, it is of necessity acted upon.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Latin to English copyright © 2025 by Grant Hicks, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
    Contact: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2025-07-01
Line count: 3
Word count: 37

Translation © by Grant Hicks
4. Odium reciproco odio augetur et amore contra deleri potest
 (Sung text)
Language: Latin 
Odium reciproco odio augetur et amore contra deleri potest.

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

by Baruch (Benedictus) de Spinoza (1632 - 1677)
4. Hatred is increased by reciprocal hatred, but on the other hand can be destroyed by love.
Language: English 
Hatred is increased by reciprocal hatred, but on the other hand can be destroyed by love.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Latin to English copyright © 2025 by Grant Hicks, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
    Contact: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2025-08-03
Line count: 1
Word count: 16

Translation © by Grant Hicks
5. Qui rei qua semel delectatus est... 
 (Sung text)
Language: Latin 
Qui rei qua semel delectatus est, recordatur, 
cupit eadem cum iisdem potiri circumstantiis ac cum primo ipsa delectatus est.

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

by Baruch (Benedictus) de Spinoza (1632 - 1677)
5. He who remembers a thing that once pleased him
Language: English 
He who remembers a thing that once pleased him,
desires to possess the same thing under the same circumstances as when he was first pleased by it.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Latin to English copyright © 2025 by Grant Hicks, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
    Contact: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2025-08-03
Line count: 2
Word count: 27

Translation © by Grant Hicks
6. Affectus qui passio est... 
 (Sung text)
Language: Latin 
Affectus qui passio est, desinit esse passio 
simulatque ejus claram et distinctam formamus ideam

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

by Baruch (Benedictus) de Spinoza (1632 - 1677)
6. A state of mind that is an affliction ceases to be an affliction
Language: English 
A state of mind that is an affliction ceases to be an affliction 
as soon as we form a clear and distinct idea of it.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Latin to English copyright © 2025 by Grant Hicks, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
    Contact: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2025-08-04
Line count: 2
Word count: 25

Translation © by Grant Hicks
7. Qui se suosque affectus clare et distincte intelligit... 
 (Sung text)
Language: Latin 
Qui se suosque affectus clare et distincte intelligit, Deum amat 
et eo magis quo se suosque affectus magis intelligit

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

by Baruch (Benedictus) de Spinoza (1632 - 1677)
7. He who clearly and distinctly understands himself and his own states of mind...
Language: English 
He who clearly and distinctly understands himself and his own states of mind loves God,
and the more so the more he understands himself and his own states of mind.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Latin to English copyright © 2025 by Grant Hicks, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
    Contact: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2025-08-04
Line count: 2
Word count: 30

Translation © by Grant Hicks
8. Deus expers est passionum nec ullo laetitiae aut tristitiae affectu afficitur
 (Sung text)
Language: Latin 
Deus expers est passionum nec ullo laetitiae aut tristitiae affectu afficitur.

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

by Baruch (Benedictus) de Spinoza (1632 - 1677)
8. God is without passions and is not affected by any emotion of joy or sadness
Language: English 
God is without passions and is not affected by any emotion of joy or sadness.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Latin to English copyright © 2025 by Grant Hicks, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
    Contact: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2025-08-04
Line count: 1
Word count: 15

Translation © by Grant Hicks
9. Summus mentis conatus... 
 (Sung text)
Language: Latin 
Summus mentis conatus summaque virtus est res intelligere tertio cognitionis genere.

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

by Baruch (Benedictus) de Spinoza (1632 - 1677)
9. The highest endeavor of the mind...
Language: English 
The highest endeavor of the mind and the highest virtue is to understand things by intuition.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Latin to English copyright © 2025 by Grant Hicks, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
    Contact: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view

Note: the words "by intuition" here translate the Latin phrase tertio cognitionis genere, which is literally "by the third kind of knowledge." Spinoza distinguished three kinds of knowledge, the other two being imagination and reason.


This text was added to the website: 2025-08-04
Line count: 1
Word count: 16

Translation © by Grant Hicks
10. Ex hoc tertio cognitionis... 
 (Sung text)
Language: Latin 
Ex hoc tertio cognitionis genere summa quae dari potest mentis acquiescentia, oritur.

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

by Baruch (Benedictus) de Spinoza (1632 - 1677)
10. From intuition
Language: English 
From intuition arises the highest mental acquiescence that one can offer.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Latin to English copyright © 2025 by Grant Hicks, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
    Contact: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view

Note: the word "intuition" here translates the Latin phrase hoc tertio cognitionis genere, which is literally "this third kind of knowledge." Spinoza distinguished three kinds of knowledge, the other two being imagination and reason.


This text was added to the website: 2025-08-04
Line count: 1
Word count: 11

Translation © by Grant Hicks